Method and apparatus for individually laminating bound sheets

ABSTRACT

A compact, inexpensive laminating device for applying heat and pressure to a sandwich of sheet materials desired to be laminated, at least one of which has previously been bound to other materials. A highly efficient material transfer and heat application system is constructed of a minimum of moving parts and simple provision is made for permitting the pass-through of the previously bound materials without being affected by the laminating device. Novel laminating roll configuration and mounting combine to permit lamination of photographs and other similar identification data in previously assembled books such as, for example, passports, bank deposit books, and the like, in a tamper-proof manner.

United States Patent 91 Staats et al.

111 3,720,564 1March 13, 1973 METHOD AND APPARATUS FOR INDIVIDUALLYLAMINATING BOUND SHEETS [75] Inventors: Henry N. Staats, Deerfield; NealJ.

Morrissey, Chicago, both of I11.

[73] Assignee: General Binding Corporation, Northbrook, Ill.

[22] Filed: Jan. 13, 1971 [21] Appl. No.: 106,157

[52] U.S. Cl. ..156/477 B, ll/l R, 156/582,

[51] Int. Cl ..B42c 11/02 [58] Field of Search ..l56/300, 477 B, 555,582, 583; 11/4, 1, 2; 29/110, 121 R [56] References Cited UNITED STATESPATENTS 3,421,966 l/l969 McLaughlin ..l56/555 Primary Examiner-Edward G.Whitby AttorneyI-Iill, Sherman, Meroni, Gross & Simpson [57] ABSTRACT Acompact, inexpensive laminating device for applying heat and pressure toa sandwich of sheet materials desired to be laminated, at least one ofwhich has previously been bound to other materials. A highly efficientmaterial transfer and heat application system is constructed of aminimum of moving parts and simple provision is made for permitting thepass-through of the previously bound materials without being affected bythe laminating device. Novel laminating rollconfiguration and mountingcombine to permit lamination of photographs and other similaridentification data in previously assembled books such as, for example,passports, bank deposit books, and the like, in a tamper-proof manner.

4 Claims, 4 Drawing Figures PATENTEUHARUIQYS 720 5 4 Fig. 2

' INVENTOR' Henry A! 5122a): /Vea/ d fllorrvlssey BY W TORNEYS METHODAND APPARATUS FOR INDIVIDUALLY LAMINATING BOUND SHEETS BACKGROUND OF THEINVENTION apparatus for such lamination is shown and described 1 in thecopending application for US. Pat. Ser. No. 29,559 filed Apr. 17, 1970in the name of Henry N. Staats et al. The laminator of theabove-mentioned application provides a particularly efficient apparatusand method of laminating small-sized identification cards such as, forexample, wallet-sized identification cards and shirt-pocketidentification card devices. In that prior application, preferredlaminating materials comprise, for example, a lamination of 1 milpolyester (for example, Mylar) laminated with 5 mils of polyethylene. Inthe arrangement there described, two layers of the laminate plasticmaterial were placed face-to-face with the polyethylene surfacesadjacent one another, and an identification card, photograph or likesheet material was placed between the two polyethylene faces, with thepolyethylene material extending beyond the outer most periphery of thecard so that upon being passed through the laminator device in thepresence of heat and pressure, the laminate became heat-sealed to thecard and also, around the periphery thereof to itself, providing atamper-proof ID card.

The system of the present invention permits the lamination of aphotograph or other data directly to the surface of a sheet in apreviously bound book, or the in as simple and as practicable a manner.Although the lamination of a single page of a book has heretofore beendescribed in US. Pat. No. 3,421,966 to J.A. McLaughlin, the systemtherein described provided for continuous lamination from roll filmplastic in a cantilever mounted construction employing heated rolls. Themethod and apparatus shown in the prior McLaughlin patent was extremelyexpensive compared to the system of the present invention and due tocantilevered construction characteristics was of particularly massiveconstruction. In contrast, the system of the present invention isextremely inexpensive, requires no cantilever configuration, expensiveheated rolls, or the like.

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION In accordance with the present invention, abank book, government passport, or related pamphlet, having a typicalidentification page therein, is laminated with a sheet of plasticmaterial having one relatively inert layer bonded to a layer ofheat-sealable material. As an example, a 4 mil (0.004 inch) polyester(for example, Mylar) film sheet coated with 6 mil (0.006 inch)heat-sealable resin material such as polyethylene or high molecularweight ethylene-ethyl acrylate copolymer is placed with theheat-sealable surface thereof in juxtaposition with the identificationpage of the pamphlet. A photograph or the like may at this time beinserted between a portion of the sheet film and the identificationpage. In a typical operation, the heatsealable plastic film is of adimension larger than the photograph but smaller than the dimensions ofthe like, in a simple manner not heretofore accomplished aidentification page so that the heat-sealable material surrounds thephotograph but will not, upon being heated, stick to the rollers orother parts of the laminating apparatus. A metal envelope is thenpreferably placed about the identification page and film and theidentification page with the surrounding envelope is passed through thelaminating apparatus while still attached to the remaining pages. Inaccordance with the 0 present invention, the rolls of the laminatingapparatus,

as well as the heater elements employed separately therefrom, areinterrupted or relieved along a portion of the length to permit passageof the bank book or passport without interference and without beingpressurized. The metal envelope is removed leaving the film laminatesecurely heat-sealed to the identification page and, where a photographor the like is employed, similarly heat-sealed to the photograph and tothe page. Typically, such a passport, bank book, or the like is providedwith only one side of an identification page having identificationindicia. Where both sides of the page bear such data and it is importantto minimize fraud by the lamination of both sides, a second layer ofplastic laminate film may be positioned against the other side of thepage prior to enclosing within the metal envelope. When such occurs, asheet of plastic is laminated to both sides of the identification pageby the present apparatus.

In accordance with the structure of the present apparatus, laminatingrolls are provided resiliently biased against each other to provide apressurized nip for each pair of rolls. The rolls are not heated, and,accordingly, no electrical conduits or electrical current-carryingmaterials need be employed in the rolls. In accordance with the presentinvention, the rolls comprise a rubber material surrounding a core,which core is provided with floating bearings at opposite ends of theroll. An interrupted portion of the rubber material is provided alongthe length of at least one of the rolls of each pair of rolls so thatthe materials bound to the identification page to be laminated mayreadily pass between the rolls, through the nip, without beingpressurized. Heater elements positioned between the input drive rollsand the output laminating rolls provide an oven radiating heat directlyagainst the metal-clad laminating sandwich. The heater elements arepreferably also interrupted in radiating surface to permit passage ofthe materials bound to the identification page to pass without binding.As a result of this arrangement, the bearing loads are carried at theoutput ends of the rolls and uniform roll pressure is providedthroughout the laminating area of the rolls in an extremely inexpensivemanner.

DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS FIG. 1 is an isometric view of a laminatorconstructed in accordance with the present invention illustrating thepassage of a pamphlet therethrough;

FIG. 2 is an end elevational view of the laminator illustrated in FIG.1;

FIG. 3 is a partial side elevational view illustrating the roll andheater construction of the laminating apparatus taken along line III-III of FIG. 2; and

FIG. 4 is an isometric illustration of a pamphlet'having theidentification page thereof prepared for lamination.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION As may be seen from a consideration of the drawing,the laminator of the present invention has a generally rectangularappearance. It is provided with a feed table member 11 and an outputtable 12 between which are positioned a first pair of feed rolls 13a,13b, and a second pair of laminating rolls 14a, 14b. A heating oven ispositioned between the rolls and is hidden from view in FIG. 1 by aheat-insulating cover 15.

The oven is formed by two superposed heater bars 20,21 forming an openchannel between the nips 13f and 14f of the rolls. The heaters 20,21preferably comprise extruded metal elements having longitudinal bores22,23 carrying resistive heating elements 24,25. The heaters operate inthe manner described in the above-mentioned application Ser. No. 29,559and are as there described maintained in spaced relation by insulatingplates 26,27 cooperating with slots 28,29 in the frame 14 and by springs30. The roll 13 has the surface 13 thereof interrupted as at 13d showinga core l3e which rigidly supports both surface portions 13c. Theinterrupted portion 13d provides a passageway through which the pages41,43 of a book or the like 40 may readily pass without being squeezed.Interruption of the roll surface is preferably sufficiently deep thatthe forwardly facing edge of the heater bars is exposed and mayintercept the unsqueezed portions of the book or pamphlet. Accordingly,it is preferred that the heater bars be similarly relieved as shown indotted lines at 20a and 20b in FIG. 3 as at 20a in FIG. 2. If thelaminating device is intended for use with relatively thin pamphlets, itwill be observed that only the top or bottom roll need be provided withthe interrupted portion. However, typically the maximum free passagearea is desired and, accordingly, in the typical installation both thetop and bottom rolls of each pair will be provided with an interruptedportion and, similarly, both top and bottom heater bars will berelievedthroughout substantially the same interrupted area.

The product being laminated in the present instance comprises a pamphletor book such as shown at 40 in FIG. 4. Typically, the book has a cover41 and bound therewith an identification page 42, and a plurality ofadditional pages 43. Examples of the type of books here under primaryconsideration are governmental passport books and bank savings depositbooks. Such books typically require bearer identification and,accordingly, the identification page is a very important part of thebook itself. It is desired in such cases that the identification page besubstantially tamper-proof and that it provide a maximum of information,and further, that the information be substantially permanent in ordinaryuse as well as tamper-proof. Accordingly, the identification page ispreferably laminated with a tamper-proof laminate such as polyestersheet, for example, Mylar, laminated with a heat-scalable film material,as above described. Such a sheet, shown at 44, is placed with theheat-scalable surface thereof against the page 42 and over a photograph45 where such photograph is desired. The page 42, with the film 44 andphotograph 45, are then preferably enveloped or sandwiched between thetwo flaps of a metal clip or envelope 46. With the page 42 thusenclosed, the pamphlet is bent backwardly until the two sides of theclip with the sandwiched page 42 and related members 44 and 45 are thesole projecting materials. At this point, the metal foil and itssandwiched parts are introduced into the laminator between the rolls13a, 13b as illustrated in FIG. 1.

The rolls 13a, 13b and 14a, 14b rotate in the direction of the arrowsshown in FIG. 3, all as described in the above-identified earlierapplication for US. Pat. Ser. No. 29,559, and the identification page isdrawn through the laminator permanently bonding the film 44 to the page42 and to the photograph 45 where such photograph is employed. As thepamphlet passes through the machine, the cover page 41 and the remainingpages 43, attached to page 42, pass through the apparatus withoutpressurization as a result of the passageway afforded through theinterrupted rolls, as above described. Upon complete passage of thepamphlet through the machine, the metal clip is peeled away for reuse.It has been found that an aluminum clip, for example, does notpermanently bond to the heat-scalable materials preferably employed andmay, accordingly, be readily removed from the page 42 and any materialthat extruded from the edges of the sandwich is prevented by thealuminum from sticking to the laminator rolls. At the same time, whenthe page cools and the aluminum is removed, the heat-sealable materialno longer sticks to adjacent materials and the pamphlet may readily berefolded into its conventional format and used.

We have found that the laminator of the abovedescribed construction isparticularly efficient for the use herein described. The rolls arefloatingly mounted as shown in FIG. 3 and are biased toward each otherby the spring 50. In this manner the rolls of each pair run in drivingcontact with each other through their surfaces and transmit thelaminating loads evenly. Thus, although an open passageway is providedin the apparatus, the rolls are not cantilevered and inexpensiveresilient support means have proven satisfactory. An extremely simple,relatively inexpensive, technique has thus been provided for laminatingpassports and like identification documents. No technical skill whateveris required in the lamination of these documents by the presentapparatus and method. Further, the supplies employed are precutrectangles of film and a supply of reusable clips 46, both items thatmay easily be stored and transported compared to previously employedroll materials. It will be seen, accordingly, that we have provided anovel and substantially improved system for laminating single leaves ofmultiple leaf-bound documents.

In the embodiment illustrated a thin table guide is shown at 17extending between tables 11 and 12 in the interrupted roll area only.This insurres against catching the pages 41,43 against the front edge ofthe table 12 and is useful with certain books. Alternatively, providingthe forward edge of table 12 with a downward slope toward the bottomroll axis will also provide against any such jamming.

It will be apparent that modifications may be made in the structure ofthe present invention without departing from the scope of the novelconcepts thereof. For example, where one side only of the page 42 is tobe laminated, the heater on the other side of the sheet may beeliminated or merely deenergized. Further, materials other than metalcan be used for clip 46. For example, silicone-treated release paper maybe used since it readily peels away from the extruded edges of the film44 after lamination. The metal clip is preferred since it more rigidlysupports the page 42, minimizes wrinkles and provides improved heattransfer. it is, accordingly, our intent that the scope of the inventionbe limited solely by that of the hereinafter appended claims.

We claim as our invention:

1. Apparatus for laminating a film of heat-sealable plastic to a sheetof material previously bound to other materials not being laminated,comprising a first pair of driven laminating feed rollers providing afirst nip, a second pair of driven laminating pressure rollers providinga second nip in general alignment with the first nip but spacedtherefrom, whereby a laminating sandwich of sheet material introducedinto said first nip is driven by the first pair of rolls therefrom intothe second nip via a substantially straight path, heater element meansbetween said pairs of rolls lying adjacent at least one side of saidpath, at least one of the rolls of each of said pairs of rolls havingthe surface thereof intermediate its ends reduced in diameter along aportion only of its length (abbreviated) throughout its circumference toprovide a wide passageway for free passage of said other materialtherethrough.

2. The laminating structure set forth in claim 1 wherein the ends of therolls of each pair of rolls are biased toward each other to provide atight nip and wherein the abbreviated portion is in each caseintermediate the ends of the roll.

3. The laminating structure set forth in claim 1 wherein said heaterelement means is also cut away along the length of roll surfaceabbreviation to provide a large width passageway.

4. The laminating structure set forth in claim 1 wherein said heaterelement means comprises spaced bars both above and below said path.

1. Apparatus for laminating a film of heat-sealable plastic to a sheetof material previously bound to other materials not being laminated,comprising a first pair of driven laminating feed rollers providing afirst nip, a second pair of driven laminating pressure rollers providinga second nip in general alignment with the first nip but spacedtherefrom, whereby a laminating sandwich of sheet material introducedinto said first nip is driven by the first pair of rolls therefrom intothe second nip via a substantially straight path, heater element meansbetween said pairs of rolls lying adjacent at least one side of saidpath, at least one of the rolls of each of said pairs of rolls havingthe surface thereof intermediate its ends reduced in diameter along aportion only of its lengtH (abbreviated) throughout its circumference toprovide a wide passageway for free passage of said other materialtherethrough.
 1. Apparatus for laminating a film of heat-sealableplastic to a sheet of material previously bound to other materials notbeing laminated, comprising a first pair of driven laminating feedrollers providing a first nip, a second pair of driven laminatingpressure rollers providing a second nip in general alignment with thefirst nip but spaced therefrom, whereby a laminating sandwich of sheetmaterial introduced into said first nip is driven by the first pair ofrolls therefrom into the second nip via a substantially straight path,heater element means between said pairs of rolls lying adjacent at leastone side of said path, at least one of the rolls of each of said pairsof rolls having the surface thereof intermediate its ends reduced indiameter along a portion only of its lengtH (abbreviated) throughout itscircumference to provide a wide passageway for free passage of saidother material therethrough.
 2. The laminating structure set forth inclaim 1 wherein the ends of the rolls of each pair of rolls are biasedtoward each other to provide a tight nip and wherein the abbreviatedportion is in each case intermediate the ends of the roll.
 3. Thelaminating structure set forth in claim 1 wherein said heater elementmeans is also cut away along the length of roll surface abbreviation toprovide a large width passageway.